Taiao

Environmental

Warawara Whenua Ngāhere i te Taiao

The ngāhere known as Te Warawara, most recently managed by Department of Conservation (DOC), is of the utmost historical and cultural significance to the hapū of Te Rarawa. It comprises of all the Kauae-o-Ruru-Wahine and Te Takanga blocks, and parts of the Waihou Lower, Otangaroa, Ototope, Taikarawa, Whakarapa, Paihia, Rotokakahi and Waireia blocks. The area was originally 18,270 acres. Te Rarawa hapū never conceded their ownership of the resources on this whenua.

Warawara Whenua Ngāhere i te Taiao was a cornerstone of the cultural redress package. It gives effect to a new relationship between Te Rarawa hapū and the Crown, and provides for joint management and governance roles. It acknowledges the mana whenua of the kaitiaki hapū and has created a platform for hapū kaitiakitanga alongside Crown conservation. This new relationship applies consensus decision-making based on a set of agreed principles. Warawara Whenua Ngāhere i te Taiao has its own identity while also complementing Te Korowai.

Intention

The intention of the parties entering into the Warawara Whenua Ngāhere i te Taiao agreement is to:

Strengthen the Te Rarawa / Crown relationship in terms of Te Tiriti o Waitangi;
Recognise the mana and kaitiaki role of mana whenua hapū and Te Rarawa with Warawara;
Recognise the Crown’s regulatory role;
Promote and support conservation values;
Engage the communities of the respective mana whenua hapū and Te Rarawa in conservation activities;
Recognise and protect Te Rarawa historical and cultural values;
Ensure public access;
Support the development goals of Te Rarawa to the extent that these goals are consistent with conservation objectives;
Provide for the Minister / Director General to carry out relevant functions, powers and duties under the conservation legislation; and
Where decisions are being made in relation to Warawara, maximise the ability for the Minister / Director General, and the mana whenua hapū, and Te Rarawa to reach consensus in relation to those decisions.

Function

The Warawara Whenua Ngāhere i te Taiao will include processes to provide for the Minister / Director General, the mana whenua hapū, and Te Rarawa to work in a collaborative manner in relation to:

The development of a management/operational plan for Warawara;
Annual planning by DOC as it relates specifically to Warawara;
Management of Warawara;
Decisions on concessions or other statutory authorisations under the conservation legislation as they relate to Warawara; and
Other matters agreed between the mana whenua hapū, Te Rarawa, and the Director General in relation to Warawara.

Representation and Appointment process

The Warawara Whenua Ngāhere i te Taiao provides for:

Mana whenua hapū representatives to be appointed through mana whenua hapū marae;
The formation of kaitiaki komiti to act as a form of collective representative for the mana whenua hapū of Te Rarawa under the Warawara Whenua i te Taiao; and
Te Rūnanga o Te Rarawa to be represented on any kaitiaki komiti formed.

Duration of appointment

The mana whenua hapū representative is appointed for a term of three years, unless the member resigns or is discharged by an appointer during that term; and may be reappointed or discharged by and at the sole discretion of the mana whenua hapū marae appointer.

Hapū and Marae Represented by the Warawara Komiti Kaitiaki Trust

The Warawara Komiti Kaitiaki Trust represents ten mana whenua hapū through eight marae located across the Hokianga region. These marae and their affiliated hapū and whanaunga connections are outlined below, along with the current marae representatives:

Marae	Representative	Rohe	Hapū	Connections
Kotahitanga Marae	Jo Murray	Whāngāpe	Ngāti Haua	Te Tāwhiu, Tahukai, Ngāti Tūmamao
Ōhaki Marae	Melanie Sweet	Pawarenga	Te Uri o Tai	Kaingamata, Ngāti Tūmamao, Ngāti Kuri, Ngāti Ruanui / Te Aupōuri, Ngāti Te Ao
Mātihetihe Marae	Edwina Davis	Mitimiti	Te Tao Maui, Te Hokokeha	Pororewarewa, Ngāti Kaha, Ngāti Hinerangi, Whānaumaii, Ngāti Rianui / Te Aupōuri
Taiao Marae	Erina Adams	Pawarenga	Te Uri o Tai	Kaingamata, Ngāti Tūmamao, Ngāti Kuri, Ngāti Ruanui / Te Aupōuri, Ngāti Te Ao
Morehu Marae	Shane Tamati	Pawarenga	Te Uri o Tai	Kaingamata, Ngāti Tūmamao, Ngāti Kuri, Ngāti Ruanui / Te Aupōuri, Ngāti Te Ao
Waihou Marae	Whina Te Whiu	Lower Waihou	Ngāti Te Reinga	Parewhero, Te Waekoi, Te Uri o Te Aho, Whānau Moko, Te Waiāriki, Ngāti Moroki
Motutī Marae	Jeff Marsden	Hokianga Harbour	Ngāti Te Maara, Te Kaitutae, Ngāī Tamatea, Te Waiāriki, Ngāti Muri Kāhara
Waiparera Marae	John Smart Chairman	Rangi Point	Patutoka	Tahāwai, Whānau Pani, Te Hokokeha, Te Tāwhiu.Ngāpuhi, Te Roroa, Ngāti Whātua
Ngāti Manawa Marae	Mina Pomare	Panguru	Ngāti Manawa, Waiāriki, Te Kaitutae
Waipuna Marae	Maihi Makiha	Panguru	Te Kaitutae, Waiāriki

Warawara Komiti Kaitiaki Meetings

The Warawara Komiti Kaitiaki meets at least ten times per year. Partners are regularly invited to participate in Komiti hui, to contribute to advancing the kaupapa.